Improvement in steam and air brakes



Patented Feb. H,

INVCNTOF= -WU'NESSES3 2 Sheets-- Shet 2.. LOUGHRIDGE.

Steam and 'Air Brakes.

N0. 135,828, Patented Fb'.11,1873.

ilnrrnn Snares PATENT Qrrrcn.

WILLIAM LOUGHRIDGE, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

lMPROVEMENT in STEAM AND AlR BRAKES.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.135,828, dated February11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOUGHRIDGE, of the city of Baltimore andState of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in OperatingCar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification:

The first part of my invention consists of a cylinder with lugs asthimbles, a piston-rod and pulleys, a pulley-frame and pulleys as aguide for the piston-rod, combined with the hand-brake mechanism, sothat the power of steam or air on the piston will exert an equal forceon each truck of the car, and enable the brakesman to force back thepiston under each car by winding the hand-brake windlass. The secondpart of my invention relates to coupling the pipes; and consists of acombination of a right-angle pipe with a pin projecting from each end asa coupling, a section of pipe passing up through the platform, nuts,spring-- valve, and bail, to hold the coupled pipes together. Theobjectis to utilize the nuts that hold the under and upper connectingair-pipes together as valve-seats, and to make a safe and reliablecoupling. t

Figure 1 is a plan with the cylinder in section and the upper part ofthe pulley-frame omitted. Fig. 2 is a part of an end elevation with theleft side in section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with left end of thecar omitted, partly in section. 7

I construct the cylinder b, piston and rod 0, having pulleys g g in ajaw on the end of the piston-rod a pulley-frame, c, with two or morepulleys, f; lugs d on the cylinder, to be used as thimbles to separatethe pulley-frame e. In

the bottom of the cylinder, or in some point in the pipes lower than thecylinder, I construct a water-escape, c, with a valve, j, that is heldopen by a spring, 0, until it is closed by the force of steam orairentering the cylinder. The cylinder, piston, pulley-frame, pulleys,and water-escape valve are combined, and suspended to the car-frame withblocks k, adj usted in thickness, so that the center of the piston hangsin line with the center of the rope Y or chain h of the hand-brakemechanism. I pass therope or chain h between the jaw and pulleys in theend of the piston-rod; and when the hand-brakes are fully adjusted therope h should be pressed out of line enough to prevent lost motion andslack of chainor pistonthat is to say, the rope h should hold the pistonfirmly against the bottom of the cylinder; then when the slack chain ofthe hand-brakes is taken up before the steam is admitted into thecylinders the motion of the piston will be less, and steam economized;or if, after the steam is exhausted from the cylinder, the

brakesmen wind up the hand-brake Windlass the piston will be forced backinto its cylinder and the brakes relieved from the wheels when the chainon the Windlass is unwound. I construct on the ends of the mainair-pipes a branch-pipes l, which are shown in Fig. 2, as if thecoupling was made above the platform.

With this same arrangement turned at right angles with its presentposition the coupling may be made below the platform. The illustrationgiven in the left end of Fig. 1 shows substantially the same thin g. Iconstruct an an gle-pipe, l, and cut a thread in each end, into which Iscrew two pipes, 19, and pass them from below the platform upwardly, andscrew on them the nuts 1'; and on the end of the pipe 12 I set a spring,8, and on the spring a valve, t,- over these I screw a nut, it, having avalve-seat for t, and to the top of u I construct a bail, o, with ascrew, w. I constructa right-angle coupling-tube, k, with a pin, 3projecting from its center, so that when it is forced into the nut a andheld by the bail c the pin will open the valve 2?, allowing freecommunication of the steam or air from the boiler or air-reservoir tothe rear end of the train, where it abuts against the last valves at therear of the pipes at l.

I claim as my invention' 1. The cylinder, piston-rod, pulleys,pulleyframe, the intermediate rope h or chain, when combined andoperated with the hand-brake mechanism, in the manner and for the purposes as set forth.

2. The right-angled coupling-pipe it having a projecting pin, 3 the bailo, and nut u, when constructed and operated for the purposessubstantially as set forth.

3. The U-shaped pipe arranged with its arms or connecting-pipes passingup through the floor or platform of the car, with the main pipe enteringbelow, and with the couplings above, substantially as shown anddescribed.

JVM. LOUGHBIDGE. Witnesses:

FRANK M. BURRows, G. T. JONES.

